No I think you have interpreted that wrong.
Broadly, Thiamine is an essential nutrient, and Thiaminase is an anti-nutrient.
+1. I do feel that many predatory fish have a high tolerance to Thiaminase.
Anyone tried frozen bait as food?
- Thread starter Logan487
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Broadly, Thiamine is an essential nutrient, and Thiaminase is an anti-nutrient.
+1. I do feel that many predatory fish have a high tolerance to Thiaminase.
I aim to maintain a balanced diet by primarily offering pellets while occasionally incorporating supplementary options. Problems are likely to arise only if you exclusively feed a single item, unless it's the balanced pellet. This is similar to our approach with cake – enjoying one piece.
Agreed ^...the catch here is trusting and believing that the "balanced pellet" really is "balanced". We don't feed dogs and cattle and koalas and pandas and elephants and otters and felines a one-size-fits-all "mammal pellet diet" and rightfully so. So it's a bit naive to think that there is a similar catch-all nutritional pellet for all species of fish...or for that matter, to even believe that we really do understand all the nuances of the varying requirements of all those different fish.
Personally, I like to construct a diet that uses the balanced pellet as a backbone, comprising say 50% of the diet, and for the remainder to be as wide a variety as possible of natural foods, the type varying from fish to fish, carnivore to herbivore, etc. That specifically does not mean feeding 50% pellets and 50% shrimp...or fish, or spirulina or any other single supplement. In order for this plan to work I think it demands that the supplementation be as varied as possible. If you feed complete/balanced pellets at all, then it stands to reason that every meal that contains anything else is a step in the wrong direction, since anything else is not going to be "balanced".
But we have aquarists who won't touch any foods other than some pre-packaged pelleted concoction that they believe is perfectly balanced; they seem to think that every mouthful the fish ever consumes must contain the exact perfect mix of nutrients that is required for perfect health and growth. These folks are forever arguing and discussing and debating which of the pelleted foods is the "best" and seem to think that this question has been asked and answered. If one must exclusively feed a single food, then this course is probably the safest bet.
The other extreme is the people who feed their fish an exclusive diet of goldfish or bloodworms or bargain-basement budget-grade flakes or pellets. They don't worry about complete nutrition or give it more than a passing thought. They likely live calmer, more stress-free lives as a result; their fish likely don't...
As always, I believe that the best course is somewhere mid-way between these extremes. Not only do I think that my compromise has the best chance of providing what the fish needs, but it's also the most convenient. Use the high-quality food pellet as a staple, which makes feeding simple...but add whatever you think is reasonable as a supplement, which can save you money, make feeding more entertaining and possibly more healthy, and keep your fish from becoming spoiled rotten and "refusing" to eat new foods.
The "Easy" button is the right choice!
Personally, I like to construct a diet that uses the balanced pellet as a backbone, comprising say 50% of the diet, and for the remainder to be as wide a variety as possible of natural foods, the type varying from fish to fish, carnivore to herbivore, etc. That specifically does not mean feeding 50% pellets and 50% shrimp...or fish, or spirulina or any other single supplement. In order for this plan to work I think it demands that the supplementation be as varied as possible. If you feed complete/balanced pellets at all, then it stands to reason that every meal that contains anything else is a step in the wrong direction, since anything else is not going to be "balanced".
But we have aquarists who won't touch any foods other than some pre-packaged pelleted concoction that they believe is perfectly balanced; they seem to think that every mouthful the fish ever consumes must contain the exact perfect mix of nutrients that is required for perfect health and growth. These folks are forever arguing and discussing and debating which of the pelleted foods is the "best" and seem to think that this question has been asked and answered. If one must exclusively feed a single food, then this course is probably the safest bet.
The other extreme is the people who feed their fish an exclusive diet of goldfish or bloodworms or bargain-basement budget-grade flakes or pellets. They don't worry about complete nutrition or give it more than a passing thought. They likely live calmer, more stress-free lives as a result; their fish likely don't...
As always, I believe that the best course is somewhere mid-way between these extremes. Not only do I think that my compromise has the best chance of providing what the fish needs, but it's also the most convenient. Use the high-quality food pellet as a staple, which makes feeding simple...but add whatever you think is reasonable as a supplement, which can save you money, make feeding more entertaining and possibly more healthy, and keep your fish from becoming spoiled rotten and "refusing" to eat new foods.
The "Easy" button is the right choice!
So update. Finally got him to cave by dumping a tube of freeze dried krill in with the massivore pellets and mixing it up. After than I fine chopped a clove of garlic up and mixed it as well as put a few moisture absorbers and oxygen destroyer in the bag for preserving just to be safe. Let him starve for a few days offering regular pellets. On the 4th I did the afore mentioned mix and let sit for a awhile. That night he ate an entire serving so now its just the tiger shovelnose holding out, although his issue seems to be more ability to scoop than lack on interest. Thinking of still doing a varied diet though as I am 100% in agreement that variety also better mimics their natural diet, just going to give it a bit though so he gets it in his head that pellets are food. 
On a side note, anyone ever tried stock feed such as trout or catfish pellets from tractor/pond supply outlets? I like to buy in bulk when possible and given these guys all get big thinking I may go that route long term wise for pellets as I found a low phosphate aquaponic formula that looks promising and is 40lbs for $66 but they also have sport fish and catfish formulas.
On a side note, anyone ever tried stock feed such as trout or catfish pellets from tractor/pond supply outlets? I like to buy in bulk when possible and given these guys all get big thinking I may go that route long term wise for pellets as I found a low phosphate aquaponic formula that looks promising and is 40lbs for $66 but they also have sport fish and catfish formulas.
